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I watched 'Marian' this weekend. This is a Czech film about a gypsy boy who is taken into care and grows up in an orphanage detailing the tragic path of his life in state care in former Czechoslovakia.

The filming is quite incredibly gritty and raw - not the kind of film which the politically correct masses will like, however it leaves a disturbing anxiety in the viewer. What's incredible is how the disturbance of the child's life is really evoked through the visual textures of the filming. There is no music to speak of.

On Netflix, Galaxyquest, starring a drop dead gorgeous Sigourney Weaver, Tim Allen and Alan Rickman.This was a very cleverly done sci-fi drama and comedy {at times}, which really has the feel of a "movie within a movie" motif to it. The juxtaposition of the "real" aliens vs the fake ones, as well as the development of the "actors" into real people and actual heroes by the end of the story was both quite moving and convincing,at least for this somewhat jaded and cynical viewer.

I think this is not true, as Alexander Sokurov's RUSSIAN ARK (2002) was an 86-minute unbroken take (I have also seen it listed as 96 minutes), straight to hard disk, albeit apparently without direct sound. I'd be interested to know if this stunt has been essayed since then, as it seems like DV has developed at a rapid pace, with mostly crud to show for it (noisy green-screen CGI with lousy, lazy sense of lighting, etc). I found Sokurov's film, of course, to be much more than a stunt; more like a long, fluid gesture with amazing choreography. It was so rich, it was frustrating, as are others of his pictures that I've found rather less compelling. I'm overdue to see it again! I still remember music---Glinka at one point?---drifting through some of the museums' rooms like audible perfume.

Thank you for enlightening me, I must have confused something a bit, I believe that the 40 minutes using digital cameras compared to the 10 minute limit to the film cameras was only at the beginning, surely they should be able to shoot more than 40 minutes these days.

I read a review of this on an arts website/blog I read and it sounded watchable. Set in a late 19th century brothel it's not for little ones but it wasn't extreme. I found it rather dull, bar the time period it had nothing gone for it. Needless to say said website and blog have lost a lot of favor with me.

I took my dad to the movies last night to see the original Frankenstein & Bride Of Frankenstein on the big screen. It was pretty cool getting to see those old movies completely restored and being shown in a theater. My dad grew up watching them on TV in the 50's so it was nice getting to see him able to watch some child hood favorites like that.

On Netflix, Galaxyquest, starring a drop dead gorgeous Sigourney Weaver, Tim Allen and Alan Rickman.This was a very cleverly done sci-fi drama and comedy {at times}, which really has the feel of a "movie within a movie" motif to it. The juxtaposition of the "real" aliens vs the fake ones, as well as the development of the "actors" into real people and actual heroes by the end of the story was both quite moving and convincing,at least for this somewhat jaded and cynical viewer.

Weaver is still hot, she makes an appearance in the recent horror flick Cabin in The Woods. Still smokin'

Not long after, I read an article about a recently released HBO film, The Girl (2012), based on Tippi Hedren's working relationship with Alfred Hitchcock during the filming of The Birds and Marnie (1964). I saw The Girl a few days later. It stars Toby Jones and Sienna Miller, and is directed by Julian Jarrold.

I had no idea "Hitch" was a lecher. A sincerely creepy characterization by Toby Jones. No doubt, Golden Globe nominations will come forth.

Via Netflix, Moon, starring Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey as the computer's disembodied voice. Basically a one man show, I was a little confused by the storyline, as I felt it never really resolved itself as clearly as I would have hoped. On the other hand, Rockwell does a fine job of actingas an astronaut who is either going crazy after being alone on the moon for three yearsor has in fact uncovered a nefarious plot by his employer to clone human beings to save money on labor costs.Reminiscent to a certain extent of Blade Runner [with its replicants} and 2001: A Space Odyssey {with the sinister computer, Hal}.

Via Netflix, Moon, starring Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey as the computer's disembodied voice. Basically a one man show, I was a little confused by the storyline, as I felt it never really resolved itself as clearly as I would have hoped. On the other hand, Rockwell does a fine job of actingas an astronaut who is either going crazy after being alone on the moon for three yearsor has in fact uncovered a nefarious plot by his employer to clone human beings to save money on labor costs.Reminiscent to a certain extent of Blade Runner [with its replicants} and 2001: A Space Odyssey {with the sinister computer, Hal}.

I enjoyed this - have it on DVD (bargain basement, I think). I too was a little confused, but I thought that was the point...(don't want to give too much away in case anyone wants to watch it!)

I went to see Cloud Atlas yesterday. I really enjoyed the film, it is an epic of collected time-spaning tales of love and the struggles against opression, one of the interconnected tales is of a young promising composer.